


These smiling eyes are just a mirror for the sun

by Tovarich



Series: Good Omens Celebration 2020 [27]
Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Aziraphale Loves Crowley (Good Omens), Blow Jobs, But they avoided it, Camping, Crowley Loves Aziraphale (Good Omens), Crowley is Good With Kids (Good Omens), Crowley's Bad Driving (Good Omens), Day At The Beach, Fluff and Smut, Good Omens Celebration 2020, Hand Jobs, Hotels, M/M, Massage, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Road Trips, Semi-Public Sex, Tenderness, They almost had a car accident, Tickling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:01:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25880998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tovarich/pseuds/Tovarich
Summary: "I was thinking we could go on a little road trip in Europe, what would you say to that, angel?" Crowley already had stars in his eyes, looking as excited as a kid.Aziraphale found it endearing, if he was honest. It didn't stop him from snorting at the idea, though. "With you driving?" he said in a sceptical tone, "Thank you but I'd rather not end up discorporated."Crowley looked affronted, however he couldn't fight the smirk that tugged on his lips. "Oh, come on!" he whined, "It won't be so bad, I promise you. I'll drive safely, without breaking every traffic law in existence."Aziraphale sighed, and Crowley knew he had won.
Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Series: Good Omens Celebration 2020 [27]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1727137
Kudos: 30
Collections: Good Omens Celebration





	These smiling eyes are just a mirror for the sun

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt for day 27 of the Good Omens Celebration was "Road trip". It took me so much time to write this one! If I'm honest, I spent more time thinking about writing it than actually writing it, which I feel a bit bad for, but well... I'm glad to finally be able to post this. I hope you'll enjoy reading this!

Crowley was lying in bed, with his head on Aziraphale's lap as the latter read a book. They decided to have a quiet day, just enjoying each other's presence, and lazing around. It felt nice, once in a while, doing nothing special. It was raining outside anyway, and neither of them were in the mood for going out. Crowley much preferred staying in bed with Aziraphale, where it was warm and dry. And Aziraphale was happy to have some time to read. But Crowley never stayed idle very long and his mind was already coming up with ideas of things to do in the near future. While he enjoyed sleeping and laying on a soft mattress, his hyperactive mind didn't often allow it for too long.

"Angel," he said, looking up at Aziraphale, "what would you say to a little trip?"

Aziraphale lowered his book to look at Crowley, looking a bit annoyed by the interruption, but curious enough not to resent it. "A trip?" he asked, "I guess it has been a long time since we last went anywhere together. Where would you want to go?"

Crowley seemed to be satisfied with this answer. He had been slightly scared of his suggestion being rejected. But it looked like Aziraphale needed a change of scenery too. London was nice, but they both deserved a vacation after all they went through and a nice trip seemed the perfect way to relax.

"I was thinking we could go on a little road trip in Europe, what would you say to that, angel?" Crowley already had stars in his eyes, looking as excited as a kid.

Aziraphale found it endearing, if he was honest. It didn't stop him from snorting at the idea, though. "With you driving?" he said in a sceptical tone, "Thank you but I'd rather not end up discorporated."

Crowley looked affronted, however he couldn't fight the smirk that tugged on his lips. "Oh, come on!" he whined, "It won't be so bad, I promise you. I'll drive safely, without breaking every traffic law in existence."

Aziraphale sighed, and Crowley knew he had won. The angel wouldn't admit it, but he was excited for this, too. Crowley knew it, he had known Aziraphale for thousands of years, that was enough to be able to read your best friend and husband like an open book. When Aziraphale looked exasperated with him, Crowley knew he had won whatever discussion they were in.

"We'll see," Aziraphale said, already returning to his book.

Crowley smirked.

* * *

The next Tuesday, they were on a plane for Paris.

They rented a car there, and although Crowley had sworn not to break traffic laws, he found it impossible to keep his promise. He argued he had promised to not break every traffic laws, not to not break any. Aziraphale grumbled and complained and screamed at Crowley to keep his eyes on the road while the demon looked at him with a smug grin on his face, but since they didn't have an accident, he remained in a fairly good mood. Crowley parked in front of a creperie and opened the passenger door for Aziraphale.

Of course, it was the best crepes in the whole of Paris. When it came to food, Aziraphale never settled for less than perfect. The restaurant was quiet and if Crowley was honest, he was glad to have a break from the traffic. He already felt tired from the trip and watching Aziraphale eat always had a relaxing effect on him.

"I'm torn between the Provençale and the one with spinach," Aziraphale said as he looked thoughtfully at the menu. There were more things that sounded very tempting, but those were the two he really wanted to try.

Crowley looked at him with a soft smile. He knew what it meant when Aziraphale told him what dishes he wanted to try but couldn't choose. "You know what," he said, "I'll take the spinach one and you take the Provençale. I won't finish mine anyway, so this way you can try both."

Aziraphale beamed at him, and even after six thousand years, Crowley would still do anything to earn that smile. Seeing Aziraphale happy still made his heart beat a little bit faster after all this time. And it probably would do him good to eat a bit, so this was a perfect compromise.

"What do you want to do after we finish eating?" Crowley asked.

"We could take a walk by the Seine," Aziraphale suggested. They had already seen all the monuments the capital had to offer. Generally, when they visited a city they enjoyed simply walking in the streets, enjoying the view and the atmosphere. They avoided tourist attractions most of the time, especially in the Summer, when it would be too crowded to truly enjoy.

In the end, Crowley ate half his crepe and drank most of the wine. Nothing unusual.

They walked along the banks of the Seine, surrounded on each side by the Haussmann-style buildings of the capital. Despite the thundering noise of traffic, it was rather romantic. Walking side by side, the blue-green waters shimmering under the afternoon sun, they understood why young couples loved the city. After a moment of silent, Crowley averted his gaze very pointedly as he hesitantly took Aziraphale's hand. He felt like a lovesick teenager and he hated every second of it. He was a demon, he shouldn't be flustered at this, and he had known Aziraphale for long enough to know he wouldn't be rejected. But such displays of public affection were still new for them and it took some getting used to. Aziraphale linked their fingers and gently squeezed Crowley's hand, causing him to turn his head and meet the angel's blue eyes. They were shining brighter than sun, carefree and full of joy. And there was such pure love in them that it made Crowley's cheeks grow hot. It felt liberating, to both of them, to show affection so freely, it was a whole new world they were just starting to explore, and it was wonderful.

They walked until they reached a park. It wasn't too crowded, surprisingly. Couples and groups of friends were sitting in the grass, in the shade of trees. Children were running around, laughing and screaming. There were people who just sat alone, reading a book or listening to music. Aziraphale and Crowley found a bench in a more secluded area, just under a massive oak. From there, they had a perfect view on the river. The light breeze that blew in the branches of trees brought just the right amount of fresh air for the temperature to be perfect, bringing the sweet perfume of flowers to their nostrils. Crowley tilted his head so it rested on Aziraphale's shoulder and the angel closed his eyes, sighing contentedly. He wrapped his arm around Crowley's waist, and they sat there in companionable silence, simply basking in each other's presence and the newfound joy of being able to show their love to the world.

By the time they went back to their hotel for the night, the sun had already set hours ago, and the moon was high in the sky.

* * *

They woke up early the next morning. Aziraphale rarely slept in and Crowley was excited to start the road part of their trip. The car he had rented hadn't been nearly as good as his Bentley, but it was still a nice car, very comfortable to drive. It was black, shiny and it looked rather expensive, which was perfect in Crowley's opinion. The leather seats were firm but just plush enough to feel good against his back. Even Aziraphale seemed to approve his choice, for once. They decided to take small country roads instead of following the highway. If Crowley had to keep his eyes on the road, he'd much rather have something interesting to look at. Pastures and villages and forests were much more relaxing and captivating than a seemingly endless expanse of concrete full of ugly cars and bad drivers. He knew for sure that highways were one of Hell's inventions.

Aziraphale was glad he took a whole suitcase full of books, although he found it difficult to read when Crowley was singing loudly and very off-key to "I'm in love with my car". He had hoped, rather naively, that being in a different car would give him a break from Queen. But it seemed that any car in Crowley's possession instantly became obsessed with the band. Not that he disliked Queen, but he might want to listen to something else during their trip. When the song ended, Aziraphale was prepared to hear Crowley sing even more loudly to another one. Instead, "Pale blue eyes" started playing. He glanced at Crowley to see that the demon was also glancing at him, both blushing. Aziraphale remembered the first time Crowley made him listen to this one. It had been a rainy afternoon, a few weeks after the Apocalypse didn't happen. He didn't remember exactly what they were talking about, only that he had read a poem to Crowley, revealing that he always thought about him whenever he read it.

"There's a song that always makes me think of you," Crowley had murmured. And with a snap of his fingers, Pale blue eyes started playing.

Aziraphale had listened to it with a small smile on his lips and when the final note died and silence settled back on the room, he had placed a tender kiss on Crowley's lips. Since that day, whenever he heard that song, he always felt a comfortable warmth in his heart. It was more than a poem and a song, it was a confession that they had both loved each other for centuries, despite being unable to put a word on this feeling until recently. It made Aziraphale giddy, and if Crowley's reaction was any indication, he felt the same.

They drove for about eight hours with only a few breaks so that Crowley could stretch his legs and rest his back.

At 2pm they stopped at a small village. They had been driving for four hours already and the place looked nice with its medieval buildings. There was a castle on a hill that they both wanted to go to after a bit of rest. Aziraphale had been hungry and Crowley started to feel sore and tired. They both needed a break. They found a café where Aziraphale ordered two sandwiches and a salad. He was determined to make Crowley eat a bit.

"You're not having wine on an empty stomach, not when you're driving, my dear," Aziraphale said, sternly.

"Come on, I'm a demon Aziraphale. I can drink all the alcohol I want without getting drunk if I please." Crowley pouted, which was rather cute, but Aziraphale didn't let that distract him.

He snorted. "Yes, you are a demon. A speed demon. You were driving twice as fast as the speed limit, Crowley!"

Crowley sighed. He had said he would drive safely. But honestly, there had been nothing unsafe about his driving thus far! Yes, he had driven faster than the recommended speed, but the road was a straight line and no one else was on it. There was nothing to worry about. But he knew Aziraphale better than anybody else. He knew how stubborn the angel could be. He had tolerated Crowley's driving, so Crowley could accept a compromise.

"If I eat one of those sandwiches," he said with an eyebrow raised in irritation, "can I have one glass of wine?"

It was worth it to see Aziraphale's bright smile. Crowley really was a lost cause, after all this time he was just as madly in love with that smile and the angel it belonged to.

"Of course, dear."

* * *

They stopped for the night in a little town in Switzerland. They hadn't planned much for this trip, letting the road guide them for the most part, hoping to discover things and places along the way. Thus far, it had been a rather good idea, as they had seen beautiful landscapes and charming villages they didn't even know existed. A room was miraculously free in a fancy hotel. They had a large balcony with a beautiful view on the lake. Although it was too dark to see much, they simply knew it would be lovely in the morning light. The town was calm, the droning of the traffic soft in the distance. Crowley was exhausted from driving all day. He enjoyed it, but he still relished in the quiet atmosphere of the nicely decorated room and Aziraphale's soothing presence. Aziraphale had taken a nap earlier in the car, when Crowley got tired of loud music and had been content with simply driving in silence, windows open to welcome the light breeze that balanced the harsh rays of the sun, making the day slightly cooler. His stiff muscles still welcomed the softness of the mattress and he imagined how grateful Crowley was for a good bed after this long day in the car. Crowley sighed as he stretched his long limbs on the bed, making his joints pop. For someone who could change into a snake, he sometimes acted surprisingly like a big cat. Aziraphale smiled fondly at the display. He felt immensely privileged to be able to watch Crowley in all those seemingly insignificant moments, to be allowed to share his day-to-day life. It was something he had been too scared to hope for for centuries, and now it was his reality. He shared the life of this beautiful being; he was loved and trusted. It was the greatest gift he had ever been offered.

Crowley rested his head on Aziraphale's chest the moment the angel's head hit his pillow. The proximity felt comforting, reassuring. He could already feel the tension accumulated during the day leave his body. One of Aziraphale's strong arms wrapped around his shoulder, bringing him even closer and with his free hand, the angel started stroking soft strands of red hair. It was only a few minutes before Crowley fell asleep.

He woke up because he felt cold and blindly looked for the angel that usually radiated warmth and love. His hand didn't find him. He opened his eyes to confirm that he was indeed alone in the bed, but it also allowed him to find out where Aziraphale had gone. The balcony door was opened and Aziraphale stood there, with his elbows on the railing. The warm hues of the rising sun painted his hair in pastel pink.

Crowley got out of bed and shivered as the cold air of the early morning stroked his skin. The day would be warm, but for now it was pleasantly cool. Aziraphale didn't notice him as he joined the angel on the balcony and let out a surprised gasp when Crowley's arms circled his waist.

"Hmmm," Crowley sighed as he made contact with the soft warmth of Aziraphale's middle. "It's too early to be up, angel. Come back in bed with me."

Aziraphale chuckled and patted Crowley's hand. "In a moment, my dear. Go back to sleep, I'll join you shortly. I find it rather hard to take my eyes away from the view. It's all very peaceful, don't you think?" He asked, still staring at the horizon. The sky was bright with pinks and oranges that reflected on the placid waters of the lake below.

Crowley had to admit it was rather beautiful, but his eyes kept falling back on the gorgeous angel he still held in his arms. He placed an open-mouthed kiss on Aziraphale's neck, enjoying the light shiver it elicited. "I think I like this view better, angel," Crowley murmured flirtatiously against the sensitive skin. One of his hand travelled upward, to Aziraphale's chest while the other went downward. He stroked the angel's crotch before letting his hand continue its journey until he was able to squeeze the plump flesh of Aziraphale's thigh. This earned him a barely concealed moan.

"We should go back inside, people might hear us," Aziraphale said between heavy breaths.

"You'd better stay silent, then," Crowley whispered against Aziraphale's ear, making him shiver.

He licked Aziraphale's ear, his tongue swirling over the shell as he wrapped his slender fingers around Aziraphale's cock. Aziraphale only had time to press the palm of his hand against his mouth to muffle his moan, head rolling back to rest on Crowley's shoulder. Even though it was still very early, and no one seemed to be around, he was still anxious about getting caught. Although, he had to admit the possibility only added something to the experience. He felt alert, as if all of his senses had been enhanced. Crowley had to know; the foul fiend knew Aziraphale like the back of his hand.

Crowley's hand sneaked under Aziraphale's pyjama shirt, gliding on the smooth skin of his belly, continuing its journey upward until it reached one of Aziraphale's sensitive nipples. He pinched hard, making Aziraphale whimper as his body shook from the mixed sensations of pain and pleasure. He then let his fingers gently roll the hardened nub, caressing it with feather-like touches before squeezing it once more. The noises Aziraphale was making, although slightly muffled, were music to Crowley's ears, he drank them in, always seeking to get more of those addictive moans and whimpers. He kept Aziraphale close to him, his back flush against Crowley's chest, and Crowley's cock was hardening against Aziraphale's soft arse.

"Angel," Crowley said, "want to be good for me?" Aziraphale was unable to do anything but nod. Crowley smirked and kissed Aziraphale's cheek tenderly. "I want you to keep your eyes opened and fixed on the horizon. Think you can do that for me? I want you to keep looking at the beautiful sky."

Aziraphale fought to keep his eyes open as Crowley slowly stroked his cock. It was getting harder and harder to keep his moans to a low volume, but Aziraphale really didn't want to get interrupted by someone finding out what they were doing on the balcony at 6 am. Crowley moved his fingers from his nipples to Aziraphale's throat, applying enough pressure for the angel to feel it but not enough to actually choke him. Aziraphale grunted, the vibrations reverberating in Crowley's hand and wrist.

"You're doing so good for me, angel, so good. Keep those pretty eyes open for me, angel." Crowley's breath was heavy with arousal as his rocked his hips against Aziraphale's bottom, trying to get some friction against his stiff cock.

The feeling of Crowley rutting against him as he was held in a tight embrace was driving Aziraphale crazy. His breaths grew ragged and his noises took a desperate accent the closer he was to climax. It was perfect, he felt loved and safe and utterly filthy. Finally, as the sky took a pastel blue tint, Aziraphale came over Crowley's long, clever fingers with a barely muffled moan.

Crowley held Aziraphale tightly for a moment, listening as the blonde's breath returned to normal. As soon as he was released, Aziraphale dropped to his knees, facing Crowley's crotch. There was a dark spot where the fabric had been soaked with precum and Aziraphale was helpless to lick his dry lips in anticipation. With shaky hands he took hold of the waistband of Crowley's pyjama pants and brought it down to his knees, releasing the engorged penis from its prison. Crowley shuddered as the morning breeze hit his heated skin, letting out a pleasured sigh before mewling when Aziraphale's plump lips closed on the sensitive head of his cock. Aziraphale took him all the way down his throat, swirling his tongue as he bobbed his head up and down Crowley's shaft. He was unable to keep his eyes opened, head thrown back in pleasure as he tried to muffle his own sounds of extasy with his hand. The hand that wasn't clamped on his mouth tangled in Aziraphale's blond curls, tugging at them as he drowned in the blissful sensations of Aziraphale's warm mouth on him. He came embarrassingly quickly, but Aziraphale didn’t seem to mind as he swallowed everything that was offered to him before licking Crowley clean.

"We should go back to bed, dear. We have a long day ahead, and I bet you need some rest," he said as he got up and pecked Crowley's cheek, taking his hand to lead him back inside.

* * *

Later that morning, they checked out of the hotel and visited the town. They walked through the cobbled streets of the old town, walking up to the castle. It was rather charming, all little alleys and narrow staircases used by centuries of people going up and down the steps. From the castle they had a good view of the town that sprawled on the shore of the lake. There was a park there where they sat for a bit before deciding to find a place to have lunch. They went down to the centre where they found a creperie. It was rather cramped but had a very welcoming atmosphere. Aziraphale instantly felt comfortable as he sat down at a small round table, the chairs mismatched but nonetheless lovely and incredibly comfortable. And the food was scrumptious. That was a very good start for their day, Aziraphale thought, looking at Crowley's back while the demon paid for their meal.

Their journey lead them through mountain roads that went up and down in a succession of sharp turns. The roads were narrow, barely large enough for two cars to cross each other, and for once, Crowley was driving safely, even slightly below the speed limit. He was fixed on the swivelling road ahead with his tongue sticking out of his mouth. It was charming to see him so focused, not saying a single word, with his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Aziraphale looked through his window, but his stomach churned uncomfortably upon seeing how deep and steep the cliff was. His mind pictured very graphic images of the car tumbling down before crashing at the bottom in a pile of crushed metal. He decided watching Crowley was much more pleasant and promptly forced himself to forget those grim thoughts. After all, Crowley was doing all he could to spare them of this terrible fate.

Finally, they crossed the Italian border and Crowley resumed his usual driving habit of ignoring every traffic laws in existence as he drove far above the speed limit. The road was mostly straight, or at least not taking such sharp turns anymore. Despite this, Aziraphale felt it was his duty to remind his companion that speed limits weren't mere suggestions and ought to be respected. In response, Crowley groaned, but slowed down a bit.

The moon was already high in the sky when they stopped for the night in a town not too far from Milan.

* * *

They were on the road early the next morning as they wanted to reach their destination in the late afternoon. They still stayed away from highways, both of them preferring to admire the landscape even if it took more time. "Another one bites the dust" was playing loudly as Crowley drove far above the speed limit, as always. Aziraphale was trying to distract himself by reading a book, but it was proving difficult with the music. His chest was heavy with a feeling of unease he couldn't get rid of, no matter how many times he told himself that everything would be alright. He simply felt like something awful was looming over them without being able to pinpoint exactly what the threat was. He decided to keep his mouth shut, not wanting to spoil the mood with his irrational fears. Nothing would happen and this evening, they would have a lovely meal at a restaurant by the sea. Everything would be alright.

But Crowley was very perceptive, and he had known Aziraphale long enough to know when something wasn't quite right.

"Everything okay, angel?" he asked with a quick glance at the passenger.

Aziraphale considered sharing his worries with his partner but decided against it after a quick deliberation. It would do no good for Crowley to be concerned for nothing. "Yes, tickety-boo, my dear," he replied with a smile that was only slightly strained.

Crowley raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He knew something was wrong, Aziraphale only said 'tickety-boo' when things were definitely not alright. He was nervous and didn't want Crowley to know it. The demon decided not to press the issue, hoping Aziraphale would tell him what it was when he felt ready, but it still bothered him somewhere in the back of his mind, even as he tried to forget it and watch the road. Maybe Aziraphale was only a bit tired. Or perhaps he was bothered by Crowley's fast driving. Although that last option seemed unlikely; Aziraphale never refrained from telling Crowley to slow down. Of anything, the absence of remarks was a bit unsettling. Crowley decided to drive at a more reasonable speed, throwing a glance at Aziraphale to gauge his reaction. The angel didn't even seem to notice, lost in his own head as he was. That was strange, but probably nothing too day, Crowley decided, otherwise Aziraphale would surely talk to him about it. Probably.

They drove in silence for two hours before Crowley got bored. Queen was great and the landscapes were rather pretty, but he needed some distraction. He wanted to hear Aziraphale's voice, he wanted to have some light banter about some topic or another, he wanted Aziraphale to get out of his head and finally answer him. Crowley had tried to initiate conversation many times but Aziraphale hadn't even seemed to hear him. It was unnerving. He pressed a button on the dashboard and the music stopped. That finally had the effect to startle Aziraphale enough that he turned his head toward Crowley. The demon smirked.

"What got you so preoccupied, you've been staring at the window for two hours without once complaining about anything." Crowley might have said that as a joke, but his concern was real.

Aziraphale seemed to sense that as he blushed and sputtered, "Wh- uh- nothing my dear. Absolutely nothing! I told you, everything is tickety-boo!"

Crowley sighed, "yeah, that's my point. Tickety-boo is practically code for 'something's wrong, but I can't tell you'. So, what is it, angel?"

Aziraphale lowered his head, staring at his hands that were fidgeting on his lap. Crowley would laugh at him, probably, but at least he wouldn't bother him with this anymore. They would both reach the conclusion that Aziraphale's worries were unjustified and a bit ridiculous and everything would be back to normal. He nodded his head once as he came to a decision.

"It's nothing really. I've been feeling a bit anxious all day without knowing why. It's just me being silly, my dear. I promise."

Crowley frowned. This was a bit weird, but after all they went through for centuries, anxious was almost their default mode now. It was hard to remember that everything was fine and they didn't need to worry about being seen together or being caught disobeying direct orders from their superiors. There was nothing to worry about, Aziraphale was fine, everything was fine. Crowley squeezed one of Aziraphale's hand in reassurance. He was looking at Aziraphale with a kindness that was rarely seen when they were around others.

"It's alright, angel. But you don't have to keep things like that from me. You can talk to me, you know, about anything. Even if you think it's ridiculous, it isn't. if you're feeling anxious, don't keep it all inside that pretty head of yours."

Aziraphale smiled and leaned to kiss Crowley's cheek. "Thank you, dearest."

The atmosphere felt lighter inside the car after that. Aziraphale still looked slightly anxious but he didn't have that haunted look in his eyes anymore, which was a clear improvement in Crowley's book. They went back to their usual interactions, which included reminiscing some of the memories they had gathered through millennia on Earth, talking about pretty much anything that went through their heads and having light-hearted arguments about topics that didn't really matter.

It had been an hour and the road they were on was becoming more sinuous as they entered a forest. Crowley wasn't paying attention, though, as he was engaged in a discussion about the advantages of the internet.

"Who needs the internet when one has books, anyway? You can find anything you need in them. At least with printed words you have some assurance that the information you're reading is serious," Aziraphale was saying, arms crossed over his chest.

Crowley shook his head. "Come on, angel! The internet is like having all books gathered into one, and it makes research so much easier. And it's not like books always tell the truth, you of all people should know that."

"What I know, my dear," Aziraphale said with a smug grin, "is that your eyes should be on the road and not on me."

Crowley pointedly kept his eyes away from the windshield and fixed on his husband. "I think you are much more interesting than the road, angel. We haven't crossed any other car for almost an hour, anyway."

"You can look at me all you want after we've stopped, but for now, I'd really like it if you kept your eyes on the road, my dear. Please." Aziraphale had a bad feeling about this, it was a bad idea for Crowley to look at him for so long, even if the road wasn't busy.

And then, Aziraphale's eyes widened. "Crowley! The road!" he shouted, unable to take his eyes away from the car that was quickly approaching them. His hands were starting to shake. This couldn't happen, it simply couldn't. He could already hear the loud sound of the crash, smell the smoke and blood, feel the metallic carcass of the car compressing his bones. He could already see Crowley flying though the windshield, his body falling limp on the concrete. He couldn't breathe, his throat was dry and tight, his lungs refused to function.

"You're no fun," Crowley replied with a roll of his eyes but he still turned his head.

And he slammed the brake just in time to avoid the impact. The tires screeched to a halt as the car stopped on the side of the road, the other car blaring its horn as it swerved to avoid the black car the angel and the demon were driving. Crowley distinctly saw the driver's wide eyes as they kept going, too fast to stop on time. They had been too surprised to stop at all, anyway. Crowley didn't know what happened to them. His eyes were wide, the yellow swallowing up the white of his eyes. Fuck, that had been close. His face fell on the steering wheel as he heaved a sigh of relief. they were alive, everything was fine. He stayed there slowly regaining his breath. They had almost had an accident. If it wasn't for Aziraphale yelling at him, they would both have been discorporated and considering how welcome they currently were in Heaven and Hell, it probably wouldn't have been a good thing. In fact, it would have been disastrous. But they were alive, nothing had happened, they were fine. Aziraphale was by his side and he was fine. Everything was alright. Although, maybe he should apologise. 

"Shit, I'm sorry, I'm so sor-" Crowley trailed off as he turned his head and saw the passenger seat was vacant. "Angel!" Crowley shouted, his eyes frantically looking for his angel. He had really fucked up this time, Aziraphale had to hate him after this! It would certainly take a miracle for Aziraphale to ever get in the car ever again. And Crowley had deserved it, how many times had Aziraphale told him to drive more safely? He only wished this had happened when he was alone in the car, Aziraphale didn't deserve to live such a frightening experience.

He jumped out of the car and ran toward the field that boarded the road, scanning the high grass and trees in hope of finding the angel. And soon enough, his eyes landed on a form clad in cream and beige, crouched in the grass.

Aziraphale was emptying the content of his stomach on the ground. Long after he had finished vomiting, he kept on dry heaving, the bitter taste of bile attacking his taste buds. He still found it hard to breathe, his head was spinning, his body felt numb and his mind was lost in panic. He could vaguely feel the rough bark of a tree he had pressed his forehead against. He jumped slightly when a hand landed on his shaking shoulder. Looking up, he found Crowley crouched decide him, sunglasses off. He looked devastated, glossy eyes searching Aziraphale's face.

And Aziraphale felt a surge of contradicting feelings; anger and relief and love were running through his veins, invading his heart. For a moment, anger won and Aziraphale saw red.

"You!" Crowley shouted and threw a punch at Crowley's jaw that caused both of them to lose their balance and fall in the grass, among fallen leaves and twigs. "How many times do I have to tell you to be careful, to keep your eyes on the road and drive more slowly? How many? Do you have to get us killed before you learn your lesson? Is that what you need?" He kept punching Crowley's chest, tears falling freely on his pale cheeks now. Crowley did nothing to defend himself, he lay there receiving blow after blow, holding back the sobs that wanted to escape from his throat. Aziraphale's eyes were cold and unforgiving like the metal of a blade, a fire burning in them that was much different from the gentle warmth Crowley was used to see in those pools of clear blue.

Finally, Aziraphale seemed to have got tired and just let himself fall limply on Crowley, covering the demon's bony corporation with his soft weight. And Crowley wrapped his arms around Aziraphale's shaking body in the tightest embrace ever shared, unwilling to leave place for the smallest particle in the universe between them. He had given up on swallowing his sobs and was now crying loudly.

It started raining. None of them cared.

* * *

Crowley had carried Aziraphale to the car. They were both drenched and covered in mud, but still too shaken to think about miracling themselves dry and clean. It didn't matter. They shivered in silence for a while, too lost in thought to engage in conversation. The sun was low in the sky when Crowley finally spoke, throat parched from crying.

"I can miracle us home if you want," he said, barely above a whisper.

Aziraphale hummed before turning toward his husband. "I thought you said we were going to Slovenia, somewhere on the coast?"

"I-uh. Nnnnyeah," Crowley stuttered, "but that was before… before I fucked up and almost got us killed." He looked down guiltily, unable to face Aziraphale.

The angel wouldn't have it this way, though. With gentle fingers on Crowley's chin he lifted the demon's head so that they were facing each other. "Listen to me. Listen carefully, dear," he began, and although there was an obvious tenderness in his voice, there was also an edge of something else. Something hard and firm. Almost dangerous. "I trust you. But I need you to promise me you won't act so stupidly ever again. I want you to promise me you'll drive carefully, at a reasonable speed. Do you hear me?"

Crowley nodded frantically, eager to do anything to get his angel to forgive him. "I promise, angel! I'll be the most careful driver on this whole planet. I swear. I'll keep my eyes on the road, and I'll drive even below the speed limit and you won't ever feel in danger inside a car with me again. Please angel, please forgive me. I'm sorry. I'm so fucking sorry, this won't happen ever again." Tears had started to fall from Crowley's eyes once more, making his voice thick and shaky.

"Shhh, it's alright love. It's alright. I forgive you. I love you and I trust you. Nothing will ever change that, alright?" He waited for Crowley to nod before continuing, "Now, why don't we find a place to stay the night and we can take the road tomorrow to get to Slovenia. What do you think, darling?"

_Darling_ , that simple word warmed Crowley's insides. Aziraphale didn't hate him. Aziraphale was willing to continue this little road-trip with him. A trip that had been Crowley's idea in the first place and on which Aziraphale had agreed with some reluctance. Crowley had fucked up, but Aziraphale still loved him. He still trusted Crowley. He trusted Crowley to change the way he drove, to make him happy by driving safely. He still trusted Crowley to get them both to their destination in one piece. Aziraphale still loved and trusted him. It made Crowley's heart race and a swarm of butterfly flap their wings in his belly. His fingers tingled with all the emotions that were flooding him. Crowley buried his face in Aziraphale's chest, with Aziraphale's arms wrapped around him. The only place in the whole world where he felt completely safe and at peace. He nodded, too exhausted to speak. It was alright, Aziraphale understood. With a snap of his fingers, they were in a bed, warm sheets enveloping them, and Crowley fell in a blissful, dreamless slumber.

* * *

They arrived at their destination, a little village on the Slovenian coast, in the middle of the afternoon. The cloudless sky above their heads and the pleasant warmth of the day were very welcome after the events of the prior day. It felt like a dream. For a brief moment, Crowley wondered if he was, in fact, in a coma, lying on a hospital bed. It felt almost too good to be true. He wasn't sure if occult and ethereal beings could be in a come in the first place.

"Where's the hotel?" Aziraphale asked. He was looking around as they were driving to a more secluded place, the road getting narrower.

"I-ugh. I thought we could go camping?" Crowley asked, unsure how this suggestion would be received.

It had been a long time since he last went camping, and he had never done that with Aziraphale. He was sure it would be fun. After all, a lot of humans enjoyed this experience. And if they didn't like it, they could still take a room in a hotel or simply go back home.

"Camping?" Aziraphale asked incredulously. "I have standards, my dear," he said somewhat haughtily.

Okay, so this wasn't a dream, Crowley decided. In a dream, Aziraphale would sure gladly accept the proposition instead of raising a sceptical eyebrow, questioning Crowley's choices. Yeah, his little bastard of an angel was too real for that to be a dream.

"C'mon angel," Crowley said, pouting. He really hoped he looked cute enough like that for Aziraphale to agree. "I drove like a grandma, I really was the most careful driver in the whole universe, wasn't I? Please can we just give it a try? If you don't like it, we'll find a hotel. As soon as you ask, I swear!"

Aziraphale chuckled. He had to admit that Crowley was adorable. He didn't look much like a demon who's been on Earth since humans were created and more like a teenager asking his mum to let him stay out past midnight. And Aziraphale felt indulgent. It was true, after all, that Crowley had held his promise to drive safely. Even though he had done that for a completely other reason. But Aziraphale was ready to forget that. He was slightly curious about camping, even though he hated to admit it. It probably wouldn't hurt to give it a try.

Aziraphale sighed, feigning irritation, although the smile that tugged on his lips made him less credible. "Alright, dear. Let's give it a try."

Crowley pumped his fist in a gesture of victory. In Aziraphale's eyes, the grin that spread on his angular face was well worth any inconvenience camping might bring.

Crowley found a spot in the campground and parked the car. He looked around to make sure no one could witness the weird events that were about to take place. When he was certain no humans were around, he snapped his fingers and a large tent appeared on the adequate spot, already with all the necessary equipment. Crowley felt incredibly good in that precise moment, with the warm air coming from the sea brushing his short hair and the love of his life by his side, he was truly happy.

Aziraphale kissed his cheek gently. Seeing Crowley happy always felt like a gift to him, after having to see his eyebrows creased in worry for so many centuries. There, in the campground by the sea, Crowley looked young and carefree. Aziraphale wished he could preserve this moment forever, capture it and keep it in a safe place where nothing could shatter it. Instead, he settled on the next best thing, which was sharing the relaxed, joyful mood Crowley was in. This trip had been a good idea, even though unplanned events had tarnished it. It still did them good to go away for a bit, far from their routine. Far from the places that had saw their struggles and sufferings in the last centuries as they tried to make sense of their developing relationship in a less than favourable environment.

"How about we go the beach, angel?" Crowley winked at Aziraphale and in the blink of an eye he was in black and red swimming shorts.

Aziraphale blushed. He wasn't sure how he felt about getting rid of all those protective layers of clothes. They felt very much like an armour and taking it off meant being vulnerable. Although, he would have Crowley to protect him, wouldn't he? Crowley wouldn't let anything happen to him, right? He would take care of him, Aziraphale had no doubt on this. There really was no reason to renounce swimming and getting comfortable on the beach with his lover just because he felt a bit self-conscious.

Crowley seemed to sense his hesitation, though. "We don't have to, you know. We could just walk along the beach tonight when it's less crowded and go for a walk in the village for now, see where we could eat ice cream. Anything you want, angel."

Aziraphale felt grateful for the reassurance, but he didn't want to let a few mean humans dictate how he should behave or what it was appropriate for him to wear. He smiled and a second later, he was in a one-piece tartan swimsuit.

"Of course, that would be tartan too… I should have known!" Crowley groaned loudly, although Aziraphale could see the mirth shining in the demon's eyes, even through his sunglasses.

Aziraphale only giggled. "Come along, dear!" he said, leading the way to the sea.

* * *

Aziraphale had to admit he had a nice time. It had certainly been a long time since he last swam and he was a bit rusty, but he still laughed with Crowley as they splashed each other like teens. It felt refreshing. After a while, he let Crowley play in the water with some children. They had decided Crowley would be a monster that lurked in the depths of the sea, waiting to attack unsuspecting prey. Crowley had obviously been happy to oblige. Meanwhile, Aziraphale had been happy to settle with a book in the shade provided by his parasol. He kept an eye on Crowley, smiling softly as he witnessed the joy on Crowley's face. The demon had always loved children, but given his affiliation with Hell, he hadn't had many occasions to spend time with kids, making them laugh, playing with them, protecting and comforting them. He had the chance to do it now; now that they were free. And it made Aziraphale incredibly happy.

An hour went by before Crowley crept out of the water and on the towel he shared with Aziraphale. Droplets of salty water fell on the book Aziraphale was reading, causing the angel to glare at his companion. Crowley only smiled sheepishly before kissing Aziraphale's cheek.

"May I tempt you to some ice cream from that little café?" Crowley asked, gesturing in the direction of said café with his head, splashing Aziraphale with his still wet hair.

The angel made a show of wiping the water from his face before putting his book in the safety of his bag. "Temptation accomplished," he said, nonetheless. And Crowley was glad to see the sincere smile that stretched his angel's lips.

They got ice cream and went to sit at a table on the small terrace of the café. The plastic chair was uncomfortable and Aziraphale wondered how Crowley still managed his usual slouch on it. He kept an attentive eye on Crowley even as they were engaged in their usual kind of light-hearted conversation. There was something about Crowley's demeanour that didn't sit right with him, something that clashed with the easy familiarity between them. There was something, different, a sort of tension that hasn't been there since they avoided the apocalypse. It was heavy with things unsaid, kept hidden. Crowley was acting weird, but it was subtle, barely there. There was something deep in those serpentine eyes, a crease in his eyebrow, a tremor in those endless legs. Crowley kept talking, hands moving aimlessly as he recounted some allegedly evil scheme. Aziraphale wasn't listening, he made sure to make the appropriate sounds now and them, but his attention was elsewhere.

"Hey, angel," Crowley said as his hand touched Aziraphale's forearm, causing the angel to jump slightly as he was abruptly pulled out of his thoughts. "You alright? What do you want to do, now?"

It was then that it dawned on him; Crowley was doing his best to do anything Aziraphale would like. That wasn't entirely unusual, Crowley always tried to please Aziraphale. But there was some sort of desperation in it now. There was a kind of panic in his eyes every time he thought Aziraphale wasn't satisfied with him, and Crowley hurried to find anything to please his angel at any time. It was so far from the easy companionship and love they had built through the centuries. As if Crowley expected something terrible to happen the very second Aziraphale wasn't enjoying himself.

"I'm having a splendid time, my darling," Aziraphale said, bringing Crowley's hand that was still on his forearm to his lips, kissing his knuckles. "I think you suggested a walk through the village earlier, that would be lovely."

And for a moment, the deep, dark worry that haunted Crowley's eyes receded.

* * *

That evening they shared a lovely meal at a restaurant beside the harbour. The food was scrumptious and the company even better. And Aziraphale had a plan.

"Let's go back to our tent, dear," Aziraphale said once they had taken care of the bill.

"What do you have in mind angel?" Crowley asked with a smirk that suggested he had a pretty good idea of what the angel had in mind.

Aziraphale took Crowley's hand and squeezed it as they got to their feet. "I want to show my darling demon how much I love him."

They were back to the campground in no time. Their tent was enormous, big enough for both of them to stand inside without it feeling cramped. Perhaps they had overdone it a bit, but they both valued comfort and had means to ensure they could be comfortable even while camping. In the middle of the tent was a mattress that was much more comfortable than any inflatable mattresses could ever dream to be.

"I'm going to undress you now, is that alright?" Aziraphale said, hands already on the demon's narrow hips.

Crowley only nodded, the blush on his cheeks visible even in the relative darkness of the tent. They only had a small electric lamp that provided a dim light.

Crowley made a move to tug on Aziraphale's bow-tie, but his hands were swatted as Aziraphale told him, "no, my love. Tonight is about you."

Crowley had chosen to wear only a black tee-shirt with his skin-tight jeans, which made Aziraphale's task much easier. When Crowley was naked, he stood still, waiting for Aziraphale's next orders. He was always so eager to please his angel.

"I want you to lie down on your front my dear, please," Aziraphale said, and Crowley did as he was told. "Are you comfortable like this?" he asked. Crowley grunted and shifted slightly on the mattress before he let out a sigh once he found the perfect position.

With a snap on his fingers, Aziraphale had a bottle of vanilla-scented massage oil in his hand. He poured a generous amount in the palm of one hand, warming it up before he applied his hands on Crowley back. Crowley winced when Aziraphale rubbed a particularly tense spot in Crowley's shoulders. "I know it hurts a bit, but you'll feel better later. You need to relax my dear," Aziraphale soothed, pressing a kiss on the back on Crowley's head.

Aziraphale's hands rubbed circles on Crowley's back, soothing the tension in his muscles, applying more pressure when he hears Crowley grunt. He whispered calming words to help the demon relax. His hands were warm and slick, gliding easily on the smooth skin. When he reached Crowley's bottom, he kneaded the flesh, massaging the tight muscles. He knew this could easily take a more erotic turn, but this wasn't his intention at the moment.

"Ouch, that hurts!" Crowley whimpered when Aziraphale's fingers rubbed the underside of Crowley's bottom. He wriggled to try getting away from the angel's thumbs.

"I know, my dear. But you're so very tense. It must be all that driving, can't be good for your body." Aziraphale kept massaging the muscles there until Crowley stopped moving. Then, his hands continued their journey along Crowley's thighs.

When he reached Crowley's feet the demon looked much more relaxed than earlier in the evening, though, and Aziraphale was satisfied with the results of his massage. He crawled up on the mattress, embracing Crowley from behind so that his chest was pressed to Crowley's back. There, he started rubbing circles on Crowley's chest. 

"Angel?" Crowley whispered, and his voice sounded so small and vulnerable that it made Aziraphale want to protect his demon at all cost.

"Yes, my dear," he replied softly.

"Want to feel your skin," Crowley mumbled. Then he tensed up, as if he was afraid this request would offend or upset Aziraphale and quickly added, "If you want to, of course. You don't have to, it's alright if we just stay like this. I-" Crowley didn't have the time to finish his sentence. With a snap of his fingers, Aziraphale was naked against him and Crowley relaxed in the heat of Aziraphale's body. "Thank you," he said, closing his eyes.

They stayed like this for a moment, Crowley basking in the comfortable warmth of the embrace. Nothing could be heard outside of their joint respiration.

"You know, Crowley," Aziraphale said, choosing his words carefully, "I've been having a marvellous time with you on this trip. I hope you're enjoying yourself as much as I am."

"'Course I am, angel."

"I'm glad to hear that. But you've been looking terribly tense and stressed out since yesterday. I appreciate you going out of your way to make sure I'm happy, but I want you to relax and have a good time too, my dear."

There was a beat of silence and Aziraphale worried he somehow made a mess of this whole situation. He only wanted to make Crowley feel better, but what if he made things worse? He tried to distract himself by drawing nonsensical patterns on the smooth skin of Crowley's chest.

"Aziraphale," Crowley began, his voice heavy with emotions that were all too familiar to Aziraphale when it came to his beloved demon, "Of course I'm tense. We almost got killed yesterday because I was being stupid. You were right and I dismissed your concerns and we almost got discorporated. You can't expect me to just act as if nothing had happened, Aziraphale. You can't."

"It's true, we almost had an accident and you have your part of responsibility in that. But we can't do anything about that, now, can we? That's in the past, it's out of our hands. Everything ended up being alright, that's what matters. You acted foolishly, in a way that was dangerous, that's true. But you learned from your mistake and made sure to drive safely afterwards. I know it wasn't easy for you, and I'm grateful that you made the effort. I'm not angry with you, and I don't resent you." Aziraphale's voice was stern and firm but also kind and loving. "I love you Crowley. I trust you. I feel safe with you. And I'm having a wonderful time on this trip with you." He punctuated each sentence with a kiss on Crowley's shoulders.

"Angel." Crowley's voice wavered and Aziraphale knew that if he were to look at Crowley's face, he would find glossy eyes and quivering lips. "I think I'll need a bit more time to forgive myself," he said honestly.

"That's alright, love. I'll be there to remind you that you're forgiven, and that I love you very much. Just know that you can always speak to me."

"Thank you," Crowley whispered.

With that, Aziraphale's fingers slid slightly downward, tracing lines and circles on Crowley's belly. He kept his touch feather-light, tracing patterns with his fingertips. Before long, a peal of water laughter erupted from Crowley and the demon writhed against Aziraphale.

"Angel, that tickles!" He said, a youth and joy in his voice Aziraphale was happy to hear.

"Oh, does it, now?" He smirked mischievously as he kept on tickling the demon, laughing with him. Crowley was breathless, unable to stop laughing as he tried to get away from the gentle assault of Aziraphale's fingers.

"I surrender! Aziraphale, please, I surrender!" There were tears in his eyes but a smile on his face, now.

"And what do I get in exchange of my mercy?"

"Any- Anything you want, angel, anything," Crowley pleaded as he turned in Aziraphale's arms, finding shelter against his soft chest.

"Hmmm," Aziraphale pretended to ponder the proposition, "and what if what I want is to tickle you some more?" He asked as his fingers moved to Crowley's sides.

"Noooo! That's cruel, angel! You can't do that to me!" He exclaimed. "Please, angel, stop! I can't breathe!" He said between more peals of breathy laughter.

"Alright, but I want a kiss from my prisoner, then," Aziraphale said against Crowley's forehead.

* * *

They woke up to the dull sound of rain fall rhythmically on the fabric of the tent, a few droplets dripping on their foreheads. It was still warm outside, the dampness making the air heavy and moist. Crowley groaned and buried his face in Aziraphale's chest to get away from the lukewarm drops. However, while the feeling of Aziraphale's body against his was nice, it did nothing to shelter him from the rain. He resigned to open his eyes, meeting Aziraphale's amused gaze.

"Wasn't supposed to rain," Crowley complained, "weather forecast announced it would be sunny until the end of the week."

Crowley was pouting and Aziraphale thought it was simply adorable. He couldn't resist kissing Crowley's damp forehead. When Aziraphale's stomach rumbled, it was Crowley's turn to snort, kissing the angel's plump lips.

"We could go back home, my dear," Aziraphale smiled, "I'll make us cocoa at home and we can spend the day in bed."

Crowley smiled deviously, "Are you trying to tempt me, angel?"

"What if I am, dear?"

Crowley laughed, "Then you're a surprisingly good tempter for an angel."

"I learned from the best," Aziraphale said, kissing Crowley.

With a snap of Aziraphale's fingers, they were home, the tent and the car had been taken care of. Aziraphale prepared cocoa with Crowley draped over his back like a demon-shaped blanket. They spent the day in bed, Crowley sleeping with his head on Aziraphale's thigh while the angel read a book. As much as their trip had been nice, they both enjoyed going back to their well-loved routine.


End file.
